In this episode Shabnum is joined by Rajiv Menon, a producer working in LA with a PhD from NYU in Masculinity and Global Pop Culture. Shabnum and Rajiv talk through a series of issues in our understanding of what Toxic Masculinity is today - starting with the question, "What is Toxic Masculinity?" We will deep dive into how a seemingly buzzworded concept can actually provide a rich vocabulary with which to have meaningful discussions on how masculinity, when purported in negative ways, can become harmful to both men and women in a society. We will also talk about how both men and women have to work together to combat a toxic form of masculinity, and how South Asian men in the west consistently facing the uphill battle of an emasculated identity coming from characters such as Apu on the Simpsons need to balance that identity with the identity of the "provider" or the "dutiful son" being thrown at them from their South Asian families. Join us in this discussion as we explore the challenges of being a South Asian male, and the role all of us have to play in making sure we are expressing masculinity in healthy ways.
Host: Shabnum Gulati
Guest: Rajiv Menon
Illustration: Hanifa Abdul Hameed
Music: AnAkkiN on SoundCloud